MEN’S  WORK 

as  promoted  by  the 

LAYMEN’S  MISSIONARY  MOVEMENT 


of  the 


METHODIST 


EPISCOPAL  CHURCH 


Ohio  Convention  of  Methodist  Men,  Columbus 


MEN’S  WORK 

as  promoted  by  the 


LAYMEN’S  MISSIONARY  MOVEMENT 


METHODIST  EPISCOPAL  CHURCH 


Submitted  by 

Clyde  F.  Armitage 

Acting  Secretary 


Reviewing  the  work  since  the 
meeting  of  the  National  Committee, 
Indianapolis,  Oct.  29.  1913. 


WASHINGTON 
April  27,  1916 


We  pray  always  for  you  that  our  God 
may  count  you  worthy  of  your  calling 
and  fulfil  every  desire  of  goodness 
and  every  work  of  faith  with  power. 

— 2  Thess.  1:11 


2 


I.  INTRODUCTORY . .5 

What  Can  Save  the  World? — John  T.  Stone 
Purpose  and  Function  of  the  Laymen's  Mis¬ 
sionary  Movement — E.  W.  Halford 
Spirit  of  Laymen's  Missionary  Movement — 
Bishop  Wilson 
Historical  Note 

II.  CONVENTIONS . 9 

National  Convention  of  Methodist  Men 
New  England  Convention  of  Methodist  Men 
Ohio  Convention  of  Methodist  Men 
More  Conventions  Needed 

III.  OTHER  PUBLIC  MEETINGS . 20 

District  and  Annual  Conferences 
Special  Conference  Programs 
Rural  Institutes 
Taft  Dinner 

IV.  COOPERATIVE  WORK . 24 

With  Methodist  Agencies 
With  Other  Denominations 
National  Missionary  Campaign 


V. 

GOOD  RETURNS  ON  THE  INVESTMENT 

.  27 

VI. 

LITERATURE . 

.  31 

VII. 

PERSONNEL  . 

.  32 

3 


/ 


NATIONAL  COMMITTEE 

J.  Edgar  Leaycraft,  Chairman  James  R.  Joy,  Recording  Sec’y 

E.  W.  Halford,  Vice-Chairman  John  T.  Stone,  Treasurer 


Leland  D.  Albin,  Plainfield,  N.  J. 
C.  C.  Anderson,  Boise,  Idaho 
Summerfield  Baldwin,  Baltimore 

E.  Dow  Bancroft,  Columbus,  Ohio 
*R.  H.  Boggs,  New  York  City 

I.  R.  Bolin,  Liberal,  Kansas 
R.  A.  Booth,  Eugene,  Oregon 
Dawson  Bradshaw,  Minneapolis 
Frank  L.  Brown,  Brooklyn,  N.  Y. 
♦George  W.  Brown,  St.  Louis 
Morton  Campbell,  Cambridge,  O. 
W.  W.  Carman,  Summit,  N.  J. 
Wm.  S.  Cathcart,  Sidell,  Ill. 

F.  J.  Clemans,  St.  Paul,  Minn. 

G.  I.  Cochran,  Los  Angeles,  Cal. 
E.  S.  Collins,  Ostrander,  Wash. 
W.  R.  Comfort,  New  York  City 
♦J.  M.  Cornell,  New  York  City 
♦Hanford  Crawford,  St.  Louis 

H.  T.  De  Long,  Grand  Junction, 
Col. 

E.  L.  Dobbins,  Morristown,  N.  J. 
Harry  W.  Dunlap,  Pittsburgh,  Pa. 

F.  E.  Eastman,  Portland,  Me. 

*F.  C.  Evans,  Crawfordsville,  Ind. 
C.  W.  Fairbanks,  Indianapolis 
Chas.  F.  Felin,  Philadelphia,  Pa. 
W.  R.  Fox,  Grand  Rapids,  Mich. 
Winfield  Freeman,  Kansas  City 

J.  N.  Gamble,  Cincinnati,  Ohio 
♦W.  O.  Gantz,  New  York  City 
♦Charles  Gibson,  Albany,  N.  Y. 
John  Gribbel,  Philadelphia,  Pa. 

C.  A.  Hagaman,  Albany,  N.  Y. 
Wm.  Halls,  Jr.,  Summit,  N.  J. 

J.  Frank  Hanly,  Indianapolis,  Ind. 

E.  C.  Harley,  Dayton,  Ohio 
N.  W.  Harris,  Chicago,  Ill. 
Edward  W.  Hoch,  Marion,  Kan. 
♦Frank  A.  Horne,  New  York  City 
C.  A.  Holmes,  Gary,  Ind. 

F.  D.  Howard,  Chicopee  Falls, 
Mass. 

W.  T.  Jennings,  Sterling,  Ill. 

♦Member  of  Es 


W.  C.  Johnson,  Colorado  Springs, 
Col. 

Jefferson  Justice,  Philadelphia,  Pa. 
Howard  S.  Kennedy,  Troy,  N.  Y. 
Charles  W.  Kinne,  Jacksonville, 
Fla. 

♦Edgar  C.  Linn,  Brookline,  Mass. 
Thomas  S.  Lippy,  Seattle,  Wash. 

F.  P.  Luce,  Boston,  Mass. 

T.  S.  McDaniels,  Portland,  Ore. 
Samuel  McRoberts,  New  York 
George  O.  March,  Lebanon,  Ohio 
George  H.  Maxwell,  Boston 
O.  P.  Miller,  Rock  Rapids,  Iowa 
Harold  W.  Moore,  Denver,  Colo. 
John  W.  Moore,  Cleveland,  Ohio 
S.  E.  Morris,  Mitchell,  S.  D. 

H.  A.  Moses,  Springfield,  Mass. 
John  R.  Mott,  New  York  City 
George  H.  Neff,  Kansas  City,  Mo. 
N.  G.  Norton,  Winona,  Minn. 
John  A.  Patten,  Chattanooga 
J.  W.  Pearsall,  Ridgewood,  N.  J. 
Lyman  L.  Pierce,  San  Francisco 
Frank  Plumley,  Northfield,  Vt. 
♦John  Roberts,  Stamford,  Conn. 
Harry  G.  Sampson,  Pittsburgh 
♦S.  R.  Smith,  Jamaica,  N.  Y. 

W.  E.  Sessions,  Bristol,  Conn. 
George  H.  Stineback,  Chicago,  Ill. 

G.  W.  F.  Swartzell,  Washington 
♦S.  Earl  Taylor,  New  York  City 
Dell  L.  Tuttle,  Buffalo,  N.  Y. 

A.  J.  Wallace,  Los  Angeles,  Cal. 
Frank  S.  Wallace,  Pasadena,  Cal. 
♦John  Walton,  Philadelphia,  Pa. 
Rolla  V.  Watt,  San  Francisco 
♦C.  E.  Welch,  Westfield,  N.  Y. 
Edgar  Welch,  Westfield,  N.  Y. 

L.  V.  Wells,  Wenatchee,  Wash. 

R.  L.  Wheeler,  Milwaukee,  Wis. 
♦W.  F.  Whelan,  Buffalo,  N.  Y. 
Geo.  E.  Whitaker,  Boston,  Mass. 

H.  B.  Williams,  Chicago,  III. 
ve  Committee 


I.  INTRODUCTORY 


WHAT  CAN  SAVE  THE  WORLD? 

This  war  makes  it  more  clear  than  ever  that  what  the  world 
needs  is  the  gospel.  It  is  becoming  recognized  gradually  that 
civilization  has  suffered  a  complete  collapse  as  a  peace  maintainer 
and  as  a  promoter  of  real  brotherhood  and  humanitarian  princi¬ 
ples.  Probably  the  most  highly  civilized  nations  in  the  world  are 
those  which  have  precipitated  this  war,  except  our  own  great 
land ;  yet  those  nations,  notably  France  and  Germany,  are  nations 
in  which,  in  the  case  of  France,  religion  has  been  flouted  for 
generations  and,  in  the  case  of  Germany,  materialism  and  destruc¬ 
tive  criticism  have  sapped  the  spirituality  of  the  people.  There 
is  only  one  thing  that  can  save  this  world  and  that  is  vital  union 
with  Jesus  Christ  on  the  part  of  every  man  and  woman.  More 
than  ever  this  war  makes  necessary  the  proclamation  of  this 
great  truth,  and  therefore  the  work  in  which  our  Movement  and 
our  Church  are  engaged,  namely,  the  dissemination  of  the  gospel, 
is  the  thing  to  which  the  Church  should  without  reserve  devote 
itself. 

I  have  perhaps  a  keener  realization  than  I  have  ever  had  of 
the  magnitude  of  the  task  we  have  in  hand,  but  with  that  there 
is  in  my  thought  a  clearer  conviction  that  our  task  is  one  which 
must  be  accomplished,  and  that  it,  therefore,  will  be  accomplished. 
Our  duty  is  not  to  be  depressed  by  the  magnitude  of  it,  but  to  be 
inspired  by  the  importance  of  it,  and  by  the  certainty  that  with 
God's  help  it  will  be  done. 

John  T.  Stone. 


5 


THE  PURPOSE  AND  FUNCTION  OF  THE  LAYMEN’S 

MISSIONARY  MOVEMENT 

The  purpose  and  function  of  the  Laymen’s  Missionary 
Movement  is : 

To  stimulate  initiative  and  activity  among  the  men  of  the 
Church. 

To  accomplish  which  the  Movement  must  stand  firm  as  a 
mobile,  un-officialized  volunteer  agency,  retaining  unimpaired  the 
masculine  note  in  its  message,  and  continuing  undiminished  pres¬ 
sure  upon  the  appeal  for  the  evangelization  of  the  non-Christian 
peoples  of  the  world. 

The  Movement  recognizes  this  appeal  to  be  the  key  most 
readily  and  surely  unlocking,  to  the  largest  degree,  the  interest 
and  resources  of  the  Church  of  Christ.  This  appeal  is  to  be  used 
for  the  purpose  of  inducing  men  to  become  symmetrical  and 
efficient  Christians,  relating  themselves  to  the  world-wide  task 
of  the  Church,  and  not  to  unduly  emphasize  one  feature  of  that 
task  at  the  expense  of  another. 

The  work  of  the  Laymen’s  Missionary  Movement  is  one 
of  education  and  inspiration.  It  cannot  lose  itself  even  in  the 
borders  of  administrative  detail.  To  be  true  to  its  highest  duty 
and  value  as  a  servant  of  the  organized  agencies  of  the  Church 
it  must  hold  itself  with  studied  care  to  this  one  thing,  leaving 
to  official  authority  those  functions  that  pertain  to  a  follow-up 
of  its  message  in  the  raising  of  missionary  revenues. 

E.  W.  Halford. 


6 


SPIRIT  OF  THE  LAYMEN’S  MISSIONARY  MOVEMENT 


At  a  meeting  of  the  National  Committee,  Bishop  Wilson 
made  this  statement: 

I  am  impressed  with  three  things  here  to-night: 

First,  the  organization  which  I  see. 

Second,  I  perceive  that  the  leaders  are  not  depending  upon 
methods  alone,  but  upon  God.  At  Indianapolis  and  here  to-night, 
I  have  been  moved  by  the  spirit  of  prayer  and  serious  purpose. 
When  notified  about  the  meeting  I  wondered  just  what  the  nature 
of  it  would  be,  but  had  not  been  here  many  minutes  before  I  felt 
with  you  the  baptism  of  the  Spirit. 

Third,  That  this  entire  movement  will,  under  God,  be  the 
blossoming  of  the  desire  for  our  world-embracing  missionary  and 
benevolent  work. 


7 


HISTORICAL  NOTE 


In  November,  1906,  the  Centennial  of  the  Haystack  Prayer 
Meeting,  at  Williamstown,  Massachusetts,  was  commemorated 
with  a  prayer  meeting  in  New  York  City.  As  on  the  occasion 
which  it  celebrated,  a  new  inspiration  came  to  the  assembled  lay¬ 
men,  and  after  prayerful  thought  and  consideration,  The  Lay¬ 
men’s  Missionary  Movement,  interdenominational  in  its  compo¬ 
sition  and  motive,  was  organized.  Under  divine  guidance,  it 
has  been  the  means  of  reviving  and  extending  among  men  greater 
interest  in  the  cause  of  missions. 

At  the  session  of  the  General  Conference  of  the  Methodist 
Episcopal  Church  in  Baltimore,  in  May,  1908,  resolutions  were 
adopted  commending  The  Laymen’s  Missionary  Movement,  and 
advising  that  an  organization  of  like  character  be  formed  within 
our  denomination.  In  compliance  with  this,  a  number  of  lay¬ 
men  met  in  New  York  City,  July  7th,  and  took  measures  to 
inaugurate  The  Laymen’s  Missionary  Movement  of  the  Metho¬ 
dist  Episcopal  Church. 

It  is  a  voluntary  organization  of  men  for  the  conquest  of 
the  world.  It  does  not  have  its  charter  through  the  authorization 
of  the  General  Conference.  It  has  no  chapters  in  local  churches ; 
therefore  no  membership  and  no  dues.  It  is  supported  entirely 
by  voluntary  contributions.  It  has  a  National  Committee  of  one 
hundred  men,  and  an  Executive  Committee  of  twenty-one  men 
selected  from  the  National  Committee. 

Its  work  is  conducted  on  a  strictly  business  basis.  It  has  no 
deficits,  no  debts  or  outstanding  obligations.  The  laymen  them¬ 
selves,  with  the  Secretary,  shape  its  plans  and  direct  it  as  care¬ 
fully  as  they  do  their  business  enterprises.  Its  work  on  a  volun¬ 
tary  budget  saves  the  missionary  boards  thousands  of  dollars  a 
year  in  cultivation  expense,  and  releases  thousands  of  dollars  to  be 
sent  to  the  field.  Since  its  purpose  is  educational,  it  collects  and 
administers  no  missionary  funds,  and  sends  out  no  missionaries. 


8 


II.  CONVENTIONS 

NATIONAL  CONVENTION  OF  METHODIST  MEN 

THE  SPIRIT  OF  INDIANAPOLIS 

The  spirit  of  the  National  Convention  of  Methodist  Men 
has  now  pervaded  the  entire  Church.  It  was  a  spirit  of  hopeful 
expectancy,  a  spirit  of  conquest,  a  spirit  of  progress  to  be  accomp¬ 
lished  through  faith  and  prayer,  through  a  recognition  of  our 
stewardship  of  life  and  possessions,  and  through  modern  effi¬ 
ciency  methods.  Probably  no  other  convention  has  been  of  such 
historic  importance  to  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church. 

A  brief  review  of  the  situation  at  the  time  of  the  formation 
of  the  Laymen’s  Movement  would  remind  us  of  the  three  per 
cent,  cut  in  benevolence  apportionments  made  at  Albany  and  the 
general  discouragement  that  pervaded  the  atmosphere  at  that 
time.  The  earlier  apportionment  system  was  in  vogue  then, 
each  Board  establishing  its  own  estimate  and  the  others  all  vieing 
to  get  proportionate  amounts.  The  confusion  and  inefficiency 
of  the  old  financial  system,  if  it  may  be  called  a  system,  are  well 
known.  Its  weakness  is  well  stated  in  the  pronouncement  of  the 
General  Conference  of  1908.  So  many  special  needs  crowded  in 
and  the  total  amount  raised  was  so  small  that  the  seven  great 
causes  for  which  our  Church  stands  responsible  were  commonly 
neglected  and  sometimes  crowded  out.  The  effects  of  this  still 
linger,  though  the  new  system  of  finance  is  rapidly  correcting 
this  condition.  Because  of  the  inadequacy  of  the  old  method, 
churches  commonly  strained  themselves  to  get  along  with  the 
smallest  possible  budget  for  current  expenses  and  ministerial 
support  and  gave  the  smallest  amount  for  missions  that  they 
could  give  without  shame. 

The  New  Financial  Plan  was  devised  and  perfected  in  its 
details  by  the  Laymen’s  Missionary  Movement.  In  this  work 
the  Methodist  Movement  cooperated  with  the  interdenominational 
Movement.  It  was  first  launched  to  enable  the  churches  to  ap¬ 
proximate  their  duty  to  Foreign  Missions.  During  the  quad- 
rennium  of  1908-12  it  spread  to  include  all  benevolences,  and 
finally  to  include  also  the  current  expenses  and  ministerial  sup¬ 
port. 


9 


This  business  method  of  finance  opened  the  way  for  lay 
activity  on  business-like  lines  in  evangelism,  community  service, 
and  other  departments  of  church  work.  Laymen  began  in  in¬ 
creasing  numbers  to  find  their  place.  The  National  Missionary 
Campaign  of  1909-10,  the  Men  and  Religion  Forward  Movement, 
and  the  wide-spread  formation  of  men’s  Bible  classes  and  forums 
are  among  the  prominent  features  of  this  uprising  of  laymen. 

The  Indianapolis  Convention  in  the  fall  of  1913  analyzed 
the  situation,  crystalized  its  tendencies,  perfected  the  new  methods, 
and  sent  its  2,700  delegates  back  to  set  all  corners  of  Methodism 
ablaze  with  the  new  inspiration  and  the  new  efficiency  plans. 
The  other  communions  had  their  eyes  on  Indianapolis  and  freely 
admit  that  the  Methodist  church  has  actually  led  them  in  many  of 
their  recent  developments  along  efficiency  lines. 

From  that  time  to  this  testimonies  have  been  frequently  re¬ 
ceived  telling  of  its  benefit  and  influence. 

A  pastor  writing  to  endorse  the  present  National  Missionary 
Campaign  thinks  back  at  once  to  the  convention  at  Indianapolis : 

“I  am  glad  to  indorse  the  National  Missionary  Campaign. 
I  attended  the  Methodist  Men’s  Convention  at  Indianapolis  and 
I  never  enjoyed  anything  like  it  before,  nor  have  I  since  that 
time.  The  information  and  inspiration  of  that  convention  have 
never  left  me.  At  that  time  I  came  to  know  and  appreciate 
many  of  our  great  leaders  as  well  as  our  great  Methodist  Church 
more  than  ever.” 


10 


INDIANAPOLIS  POLICY 


The  Convention  of  Methodist  Men  assembled  at  Indianapolis,  Indiana, 
commits  itself  and  calls  the  entire  Church : 

First:  To  a  program  of  personal  evangelism  at  home  and  abroad 
which  shall  enable  the  Church  to  reach  effectively  the  last  man  with  the 
message  of  redemption ;  and  that  we  set  as  a  goal  an  annual  minimum  gain 
of  ten  per  cent,  in  the  full  membership  of  every  local  church. 

Second:  To  the  principal  of  social  redemption  in  all  lands  and  the 
application  of  the  spirit  and  teachings  of  Christ  to  the  total  relations 
of  men. 

Third:  To  the  bringing  of  our  youth  everywhere  into  real  Christian 
life  and  to  their  training  for  effective  Christian  service  by  all  those 
agencies  which  the  Chuch  has  created  for  this  high  purpose. 

Fourth:  To  the  practice  of  the  principles  of  stewardship  by  every 
member  of  our  Church  as  defined  by  our  Discipline.  This  recognizes 
God  as  giver  and  owner  of  all  things ;  man  as  a  steward,  holding  as  a 
sacred  trust  all  he  has ;  the  systematic  application  of  a  portion  of  our 
income  to  the  advancement  of  God’s  Kingdom,  and  the  dedication  of  one- 
tenth  of  our  income  as  a  minimum. 

Fifth:  To  the  universal  introduction  of  the  every-member  canvass 
and  the  weekly  offering  by  every  man,  woman  and  child  of  our  Church, 
with  these  two  principles  always  in  view: 

(a)  The  standard  apportionments  met  in  full  as  a  minimum  achieve¬ 
ment. 

( b )  At  least  as  much  for  others  as  for  ourselves,  as  our  near  goal. 

Sixth:  To  the  hearty  and  full  support  of  those  Boards  which  are 
created  by  the  Church  as  the  proper  instruments  for  the  application  of 
the  benevolence  of  the  Church  to  the  world’s  need.  We  emphasize  the 
paramount  claims  of  those  regular  causes  established  and  approved  by 
the  authority  of  the  Church. 

Seventh:  To  the  loyal  and  loving  support  of  all  those  forms  of 
Christian  activity,  in  all  lands,  as  expressed  in  our  educational,  philan¬ 
thropic  and  evangelistic  institutions,  looking  everywhere  toward  the  care 
of  the  sick,  the  aged,  the  orphan,  the  unfortunate,  and  toward  the  training 
of  our  youth  in  the  spirit  of  Christ. 

Eighth:  To  an  inspirational  and  educational  campaign,  having  in 
view  our  full  relation  to  the  civic,  industrial,  social,  educational,  philan¬ 
thropic  and  missionary  problems  of  our  age — and  to  the  enlistment  of 
the  unused  energies  of  the  men  of  the  Church  under  the  leadership  of 
the  Son  of  Man. 


11 


Ninth:  To  an  emphatic  reaffirmation  of  the  action  of  the  General 
Conference  on  the  subjects  of  higher  Christian  education  and  the  im¬ 
perative  need  of  vastly  larger  funds  for  our  schools,  colleges  and  uni¬ 
versities;  the  necessity  of  more  liberal  support  for  our  ill-paid  ministry, 
especially  in  view  of  the  increased  cost  of  living;  the  supreme  claim  of 
the  retired  veterans  for  an  adequate  support  in  their  old  age;  and  we 
commit  ourselves  with  heartiness  and  devotion  to  the  well-known  attitude 
of  the  Church  on  the  subjects  of  Temperance,  Social  Purity  and  Sabbath 
Observance. 

Tenth:  To  the  support  and  circulation  and  the  faithful  reading  by 
ourselves  and  in  our  homes  of  that  Christian  literature  in  book  and 
periodical  created  by  our  Church  for  the  training,  instruction  and  inspira¬ 
tion  of  our  people. 

Eleventh:  To  a  program  which  shall  bring  to  Districts  and  local 
churches  the  principals,  ideals  and  methods  which  have  found  expression 
in  this  Convention.  We  ask  all  our  Boards  to  set  aside  their  secretaries 
and  other  officers,  as  far  as  possible  and  necessary  for  the  service  of  the 
Districts  and  Area  groups,  in  a  unified  campaign  for  all  these  approved 
causes. 

Twelfth:  To  the  utmost  co-operation  of  our  Church  with  all  other 
“Churches  which  exalt  our  Christ”  in  a  common  and  united  effort  in  ail 
lands  to  bring  in  Christ’s  Kingdom. 


12 


NEW  ENGLAND  CONVENTION  OF  METHODIST  MEN 


In  October,  1914,  the  Laymen’s  Movement  held  a  conven¬ 
tion  in  Boston  registering  2,100  men  from  all  parts  of  New  Eng¬ 
land.  This  convention  was  in  a  sense  for  New  England  what 
Indianapolis  was  for  all  Methodism.  It  brought  inspiring  mes¬ 
sages  concerning  missions  and  explained  the  best  methods  of 
local  church  work. 

It  was  accompanied  with  a  survey  of  New  England.  This 
survey  revealed  the  state  of  the  Church  throughout  New  Eng¬ 
land,  showing  its  strength  and  weakness,  its  successes  and  fail¬ 
ures.  The  findings  were  exhibited  at  the  opening  of  each  ses¬ 
sion  of  the  convention  by  means  of  lantern  slides.  This  is  the 
first  time  that  a  survey  has  been  made  for  a  convention  and  pre¬ 
sented  in  this  form.  This  feature  was  invaluable.  It  started 
the  survey  habit  in  New  England,  as  well  as  gave  definite  in¬ 
formation  itself.  It  was  highly  appreciated  and  has  been  in¬ 
cluded  in  the  report  book  of  the  convention. 

Conservation  work  followed  the  convention  in  nearly  all  dis¬ 
tricts  in  New  England.  Experts  and  successful  local  men  held 
group  meetings  in  accessible  places  where  the  workers  could 
gather  from  all  the  local  churches.  This  carried  the  messages 
and  methods  of  the  convention  to  nearly  all  societies  throughout 
New  England.  In  March  following,  Zion’s  Herald  reported : 

“Gatherings  following  up  the  New  England  Convention  of 
Methodist  Men  have  now  been  held  in  every  part  of  New  Eng¬ 
land,  reaching  practically  every  charge.  From  the  reports  which 
have  been  received  there  are  everywhere  evidences  of  renewed 
activity  on  the  part  of  the  laity  in  meeting  the  responsibilities  of 
the  Church.  This  campaign  has  played  no  small  part  in  the 
evangelistic  work  of  the  winter  months,  for  one  of  the  outstand¬ 
ing  features  of  the  program  sent  down  to  the  local  church  was 
that  of  securing  the  active  co-operation  of  laymen  in  doing  dis¬ 
tinctively  spiritual  work.” 


13 


WHAT  THE  COMMISSION  ON  FINANCE  THINKS 


“In  the  Boston  Area  during  the  last  year  (1914-15)  the  increase  in 
the  Disciplinary  Benevolences  was  $20,007.  It  is  significant  to  note  in 
this  connection  that  the  Boston  Area  had  last  November  a  Methodist 
Men’s  Convention  with  2,100  registered  delegates  present,  and  that  two- 
thirds  of  the  churches  in  New  England  have  adopted  the  New  Financial 
Plan,  including  the  Every  Member  Canvass  and  the  weekly  offering.” 

BUSINESS  MEN  TESTIFY 

Mr.  Frank  C.  Dunn  wrote  under  date  of  November  17,  1914:  “After 
having  attended  the  three  day  convention  in  Boston  last  week  I  want 
to  tell  you  that,  although  I  did  not  have  very  much  anticipation  of  enjoy¬ 
ment,  I  was  very  much  pleased  with  the  way  the  whole  thing  was 
managed  and  carried  off.  I  have  never  attended  anything  of  the  kind 
that  was  so  well  handled.  I  do  not  see  how  you  can  improve  on  the 
way  it  was  organized.” 

Dr.  Henry  L.  Wriston  says :  “I  have  been  in  Boston  for  a  quarter 
of  a  century,  and  I  look  upon  the  New  England  Convention  as  the  best 
and  most  effective  piece  of  work  accomplished  by  Methodists  in  that 
period  of  time.” 


GREATEST  EVER 

“All  agree  that  the  Methodist  Convention  is  the  greatest  meeting 
ever  held  by  Methodists  in  New  England.  Every  service  was  attended 
by  thousands.  Every  service  was  filled  with  a  spirit  of  prayer  and  devo¬ 
tion  and  the  hope  of  greater  days.” — Pacific  Christian  Advocate,  Decem¬ 
ber  2,  1914. 


14 


NEW  ENGLAND  POLICY 


1.  Organized  personal  evangelism — every  member  with  a  definite  task. 

2.  A  program  of  community  service — something  accomplished  in  com¬ 
munity  betterment  each  year. 

3.  Increase  in  benevolence  offerings,  the  apportionment  in  full  as  the 
minimum,  and  the  goal,  “As  much  for  others  as  for  ourselves.” 

4.  An  effective  program  in  each  church  for  the  whole  life  of  young 
people  from  their  recreation  to  their  life-work. 

5.  Sunday  school  efficiency. 

6.  Aggressive  and  sympathetic  work  for  our  immigrant  population.. 

7.  The  Bible,  a  Methodist  Hymnal,  a  Methodist  paper,  and  a  family 
altar  in  every  home. 


15 


OHIO  CONVENTION  OF  METHODIST  MEN 


The  first  State  convention  of  Methodist  men  was  held  at 
Columbus,  Ohio,  March  17-19,  1915.  This  convention  was 
unique  in  that  it  is  the  first  time  that  the  Methodists  of  an  entire 
State  have  come  together.  There  is  a  growing  tendency  to  do 
our  work  along  State  lines,  and  have  our  conference  boundaries 
follow  them.  This  will  greatly  increase  the  power  of  the 
church  in  its  impact  on  education,  legislation,  and  politics.  It 
will  enable  us  to  work  in  better  co-operation  with  other  com¬ 
munions  whose  boundaries  now  commonly  follow  State  lines,  and 
will  greatly  facilitate  the  tabulation  of  statistics.  As  Ohio 
Methodists,  the  men  had  an  additional  feeling  of  union  which 
created  a  spirit  surpassing  that  of  most  conventions.  3,456  men 
were  registered,  which  set  a  world  record  for  registered  con¬ 
ventions  of  men. 

The  general  purpose  of  this  convention  was  like  that  of  the 
New  England  Convention  of  Methodist  men.  The  program  was 
well  balanced  and  very  strong.  A  survey  of  conditions  through¬ 
out  Ohio  was  prepared  and  presented  by  means  of  lantern  slides. 
A  thorough  system  of  conservation  was  inaugurated  running 
through  March  and  April,  reaching  every  district  in  the  State. 

One  novel  feature  of  the  Ohio  Convention  was  the  parade. 
The  men  gathered  on  Broad  Street  in  front  of  Memorial  Hall 
and  paraded  through  some  of  the  busiest  streets  of  the  city  to 
the  State  House.  They  were  led  by  the  Governor  of  the  State, 
a  squad  of  Methodist  policemen,  two  bands  and  a  drum  corp. 
When  they  reached  the  State  House  they  assembled  on  the  steps 
for  a  photograph,  and  the  Governor,  a  Methodist,  addressed  them 
there,  taking  as  his  text  the  request  of  the  photographer,  “Men, 
take  one  step  higher.” 


16 


RESOLUTIONS  OF  APPRECIATION 


We,  the  Methodist  Preachers’  Meeting  of  Columbus,  Ohio,  hereby 
desire  to  express  and  bear  to  the  Church  at  large  our  appreciation  of  the 
value  of  the  Ohio  Convention  of  Methodist  Men,  held  in  our  city 
March  17-19,  1915. 

It  has  engendered  a  great  spiritual  influence.  Our  horizons  were 
immensely  widened,  our  knowledge  and  convictions  intensified  beyond 
measure.  Its  3,456  registered  men  and  comprehensive  program  made  it 
the  greatest  religious  convention  ever  held  in  this  Nation. 

Its  influence  will  continue  with  us  across  the  years,  and  its  effects 
will  be  limited  only  by  the  ends  of  the  earth. 

We  express  our  appreciation  of  the  effective  and  inspiring  leadership 
of  Secretaries  H.  B.  Dickson  and  Fred  B.  Fisher. 

A  SPIRITUAL  DYNAMO 

“The  thing  which  will  linger  longest  in  the  memory  of  those  who 
were  present  was  the  profound  earnestness  of  the  body  itself.  The 
convention  was  a  spiritual  dynamo  whose  electric  currents  will  stream 
far  beyond  the  state  in  which  it  was  erected.” — Christian  Advocate, 
March  25,  1915. 


THE  SECRET 

“Those  gathered  at  the  Ohio  Convention  of  Methodist  Men  shouted, 
applauded,  prayed  and  sang  as  they  faced  the  problems  of  this  modern 
world.  What  was  the  secret  of  it?  Christ  was  so  presented  that  they 
saw  him  clearly  as  the  supreme  need.  Power  Christianity  is  the  anti¬ 
dote  for  all  modern  ills.  In  the  presentation  of  the  representative  in¬ 
crease  of  clashing  human  interests  they  were  made  to  feel  that  ‘there 
is  power  in  the  Lion  of  the  tribe  of  Judah  and  he  must  prevail.’ — West - 
ern  Christian  Advocate,  March  24,  1915. 

ABOVE  WORLD  CONVENTIONS 

“As  an  outsider,  who  is  neither  a  Methodist  nor  an  Ohioan — having 
duties  in  the  State  as  an  invited  social  specialist  and  as  the  officer  of  a 
society  having  many  Ohio  members — I  wish  to  say  that  the  Ohio  Con¬ 
vention  of  Methodist  Men  was  in  scope  and  program  worthy  to  be  con¬ 
sidered  a  world  convention;  I  should  rank  it  above  any  of  the  twenty 
world  and  national  conventions,  relating  to  peace  ad  purity,  to  alcohol 
and  opium  and  to  Sunday  schools,  in  which  I  participated  during  a  year 
before  the  European  war.” — Wilbur  F.  Crafts  in  Columbus,  Ohio,  Citizen. 


17 


OHIO  POLICY 


1.  In  every  Methodist  Home,  family  worship — using  the  Bible,  a 
Methodist  paper,  a  Methodist  hymnal,  and  the  Probationer’s  Manual. 

2.  In  every  church  a  full  ministry  to  the  whole  life  of  young  people, 
from  their  recreation  to  their  vocation,  beginning  with  efficiency  in  the 
Sunday  School. 

3.  An  attempt  in  all  churches  having  immigrant  neighbors  to  find 
a  point  of  contact  with  them. 

4.  An  educational  and  inspirational  effort  to  increase  benevolent 
offerings  until  Ohio  Methodism  shall  reach  the  General  Conference 
standard — “as  much  for  others  as  for  ourselves.” 

5.  A  community  program  for  every  church,  with  at  least  one  line 
of  activity  every  year,  for  the  uplift  of  the  community  life;  with  the 
committal  of  ourselves  to  “A  Saloonless  State,”  “A  Saloonless  Nation,” 
and  the  elevation  of  pure  men  to  official  positions. 

6.  Every  member  engaged  in  personal  evangelism. 

7.  Follow-up  meetings  during  March  and  April,  with  rallies  by  cities 
and  rural  groups,  to  carry  the  message  of  the  convention  to  every  church. 


18 


MORE  CONVENTIONS  NEEDED 


Do  such  comments  substantiate  the  cry,  “Too  many  con¬ 
ventions”  ? 

“New  England  Methodism  got  the  most  thorough  stir  up 
generally  in  its  history  during  the  Methodist  Men’s  Convention 
held  in  Boston  recently.  Stirs  and  mixers  are  needed  in  other 
parts  of  the  Church.  We  fear,  however,  in  some  parts  of  the 
connection  it  would  take  a  concrete  mixer  to  stir  and  start  to 
flowing  the  forces  of  the  Kingdom.  It  takes  water,  forms,  pul¬ 
verization  and  a  good  deal  of  energy  sometimes  to  start  life 
flowing  into  new  channels.” — Western  Christian  Advocate. 

“He  who  claims  that  the  day  of  conventions  is  past  knows 
not  whereof  he  speaks.” — Northwestern  Christian  Advocate, 

March  24,  1915. 

“When  the  convention  speakers  are  men  of  highest  rank, 
trained  specialists,  eloquent  and  compelling  in  speech,  as  well  as 
posted  to  the  limit  in  their  specialties,  and  such  men  are  brought 
to  the  people,  massing  them  in  conventions,  and  when  the  vast, 
passionate,  compelling  appeal  of  these  men  is  backed  up  with 
practical,  heart-to-heart,  expert  consultations  for  carrying  that 
appeal  to  the  people,  practically,  seriously,  feasibly,  then  you 
have  the  new  ideal,  the  ‘Conference  for  Efficiency.’  Then  you 
feel  the  hands  of  a  man,  the  good,  tough,  honest,  invincible 
hands  of  a  MAN  under  the  angel  wings  of  vision  and  appeal.” — 
Central  Christian  Advocate,  December  14,  1914. 

“This  is  the  age  of  great  conventions.  The  conventions  of 
the  Church  are  not  surpassed  in  numbers  by  those  of  the  political 
and  scientific  world.  A  series  of  seventy-five  great  conventions, 
in  as  many  of  our  largest  cities,  in  the  interest  of  the  Laymen’s 
Missionary  Movement  has  just  begun. 

“All  this  rejoices  our  heart.  Against  the  holding  of  such 
gatherings  nothing  can  be  said.  God  is  in  this  plan  of  campaign¬ 
ing  against  the  kingdom  of  darkness.” — Northern  Christian  Ad¬ 
vocate,  October  28,  1915. 


19 


111.  OTHER  PUBLIC  MEETINGS 

DISTRICT  AND  ANNUAL  CONFERENCES 

The  Commission  on  Finance  and  the  Movement  worked  to¬ 
gether  in  many  District  and  Annual  Conferences  for  the  promo¬ 
tion  of  the  New  Financial  Plan.  The  pastors  and  official  mem¬ 
bers  were  called  together  by  the  District  Superintendent  to  con¬ 
sider  and  adopt  this  medium  of  progress.  At  Annual  Confer¬ 
ences  a  day  or  half  day  was  given  to  an  explanation  and  dis¬ 
cussion  of  its  details.  These  sessions  have  been  perhaps  the 
most  effective  means  of  introducing  the  Plan.  At  the  same  time 
local  churches  in  these  districts  and  conferences  were  assisted 
to  accomplish  its  successful  inauguration,  and  these  served  as 
object  lessons  for  the  others.  At  these  conferences  also,  some 
superintendents,  pastors,  and  laymen  were  trained  to  go  to  their 
neighboring  localities  and  work  the  new  system.  All  opportuni¬ 
ties  have  been  utilized  and  many  created  to  secure  its  church-wide 
operation,  and  the  response  has  been  highly  gratifying. 


20 


SPECIAL  CONFERENCE  PROGRAMS 


At  the  last  session  of  the  West  Wisconsin  Conference  1200 
delegates  registered  for  the  Efficiency  Convention.  The  program 
was  built  on  the  basis  of  the  plans  outlined  in  the  new  book, 
“The  Way  to  Win/’  with  an  address  and  conference  on  each 
of  the  four  phases  of  church  work — Evangelism,  Training,  Com¬ 
munity  Service,  and  Missions.  Finance  also  was  treated.  At 
night  some  excellent  missionary  pictures  were  shown.  The 
attendance  was  remarkable,  being,  according  to  the  report  of 

■  i  rw  — 

the  District  Superintendents  and  pastors,  the  greatest  day  the 
West  Wisconsin  Conference  had  ever  seen.  One  hundred  and 
seventy-four  automobiles  were  counted  outside  the  auditorium 
in  the  afternoon.  The  largest  hall  in  Eau  Claire  was  used,  for 
the  church  would  not  accommodate  the  people.  Many  subscrip¬ 
tions  were  taken  for  World  Outlook  and  for  The  Way  to  Win. 

At  night  nineteen  young  men  and  women,  including  a  few 
ministers  and  deaconesses,  came  forward  in  response  to  Bishop 
Henderson’s  appeal  to  go  to  the  foreign  field  if  God  would  call 
them  into  that  work.  A  District  Superintendent  writes,  “The 
convention  was  generally  acclaimed  as  the  finest  feature  ever 
produced  at  our  conference,  and  the  brethren  voted  unanimously 
to  have  the  program  repeated  next  year.” 

The  Northwestern  Advocate  comments,  “The  occasion  was 
so  novel  and  so  abundant  in  results  for  missions  and  evangelism 
that  it  is  hoped  other  conferences  will  have  the  same  rich  ex¬ 
perience.” 

A  similar  event  occurred  at  the  North  Indiana  Conference, 
with  unexcelled  results.  It  was  held  in  a  tabernacle  at  Auburn, 
where  no  church  would  accommodate  the  2,280  delegates.  This 
meeting  replaced  the  lecture  for  Conference  expenses. 


21 


RURAL  CHURCH  INSTITUTES 


In  Iowa  during  the  summer  of  1914,  the  rural  Methodist 
churches  on  three  districts  held  one-day  institutes  of  both  agri¬ 
cultural  and  religious  value.  This  was  done  under  the  general 
direction  of  Mr.  R.  C.  Keagy,  who  was  then  in  the  employ  of 
the  Laymen’s  Missionary  Movement  A  typical  program  was 
as  follows :  A  dairy  expert  gave  an  address  on  The  Iowa  Cow. 
A  man  who  had  helped  arrange  an  extensive  corn  contest  spoke 
regarding  Better  Corn.  A  rural  survey  of  the  three  districts 
was  presented,  charting  the  conditions,  and  showing  the  inti¬ 
mate  relation  between  farm  life  and  church  life.  An  address 
followed  on  How  to  Serve  the  Community,  and  one  on  How  to 
Serve  the  World  (missionary).  These  prepared  the  way  for 
another,  An  Adequate  Program  for  This  Church.  This  was 
followed  by  How  to  Finance  the  Enterprise.  Four  professors 
from  Iowa  State  College,  three  from  Iowa  State  Teachers’  Col¬ 
lege,  besides  the  Assistant  State  Superintendent  of  Schools  whose 
services  were  furnished  by  the  State  of  Iowa,  two  college  presi¬ 
dents,  three  district  superintendents,  nine  ministers,  six  laymen, 
among  whom  were  a  bank  president  and  a  traveling  salesman, 
were  the  speakers. 

Fifty  institutes  were  held  with  a  total  attendance  of  6,064. 
District  Superintendents  reported  instances  of  churches  saved 
from  abandonment,  benevolences  doubled,  tripled,  quadrupled, 
and  community  work  established.  Men  who  had  not  attended 
church  services  were  present  at  these  institutes,  and  expressed 
their  unrequested  approval  of  a  campaign  so  well  calculated  to 
serve  the  community  and  broad  enough  to  help  lift  the  world. 

At  the  ensuing  meeting  of  the  Laymen’s  Association  of  the 
Upper  Iowa  Conference,  the  following  action  was  taken : 

“We  see  in  the  steady  growth  of  the  Laymen’s  Movement 
a  glorious  day  near  at  hand  when  all  the  people  will  be  on  the 
giving  line  fully  abreast  of  pastors,  district  superintendents,  and 
bishops,  winning  great  victories  for  righteousness. 

“We  earnestly  approve  the  rural  church  institutes  and  urge 
their  extension.  It  is  a  large,  fruitful  and  deserving  field.” 


22 


TAFT  DINNER 


The  Movement  arranged  a  Methodist  men’s  dinner  in  New 
York  City  May  14th,  1915.  Ex-President  Taft  was  the  guest 
of  honor,  and  he  preached  one  of  the  most  earnest  and  most 
convincing  missionary  sermons  that  New  York  has  heard.  750 
men  sat  at  a  banquet  and  heard  speeches  by  Bishop  Wilson,  Sec¬ 
retary  Oldham,  and  Ex-President  Taft.  This  was  one  of  the 
most  felicitous  occasions  of  the  year. 

EPWORTH  LEAGUE  INSTITUTE 

Mr.  Armitage  conducted  the  Foreign  Mission  study  class 
on  the  Drew  Campus  during  the  Epworth  League  Institute  of 
1914. 


LOCAL  CHURCH  WORK 

Frequent  addresses  have  been  made  in  local  churches,  and 
conferences  held  with  official  members  and  workers.  These  ad¬ 
dresses  and  conferences  have  treated  Evangelism,  Community 
Service,  Missions,  Organization,  Surveys,  and  Finance.  Many 
churches  have  been  assisted  in  launching  men’s  work  in  these 
fields  of  effort,  with  good  effect. 


23 


IV.  CO-OPERATIVE  WORK 

WITH  METHODIST  AGENCIES 

The  Laymen’s  Missionary  Movement  has  done  some  ef¬ 
fective  work  in  co-operation  with  several  agencies.  A  share  of 
the  budget  raised  at  Indianapolis  was  given  to  the  Methodist 
Brotherhood,  the  Commission  on  Evangelism,  and  the  Federa¬ 
tion  for  Social  Service,  for  the  furtherance  of  their  work.  Their 
representatives  have  co-operated  with  the  Movement  by  sending 
speakers  to  take  part  in  our  various  conventions. 

The  Commission  on  Finance  has  co-operated  closely  with 
the  Movement.  For  two  years  the  work  of  both  was  directed 
by  a  joint  Campaign  Committee.  During  this  time  the  Com¬ 
mission  was  financed  in  part  by  the  Movement.  Through  our 
co-operative  efforts  the  whole  Methodist  Church  has  been  made 
acquainted  with  a  plan  of  finance  that  will  solve  its  financial 
problems,  and  an  ever  increasing  proportion  of  churches  are 
using  it  in  prescribed  manner. 

The  Annual  Conferences  were  visited  diligently.  District 
or  sub-district  conventions  have  been  held  in  nearly  all  con¬ 
ferences.  Local  churches  have  been  assisted  as  frequently  as 
time  would  permit.  The  church  press  has  given  the  plan  liberal 
publicity.  A  literature  unequalled  by  that  of  any  other  denom¬ 
ination  is  available.  During  our  co-operation  approximately 
10,000,000  pages  of  literature  on  the  plan  were  sold.  Conference 
and  district  Commissions  on  Finance  are  prevalent  now.  Many 
laymen,  pastors,  and  District  Superintendents  are  doing  deputa¬ 
tion  work  to  spread  the  financial  gospel  to  every  society.  These 
men  purchased  400  sets  of  expensive  charts  to  aid  them  in  this 
work. 


24 


WITH  OTHER  DENOMINATIONS 


The  Movement  has  been  interested  in  the  Summer  Confer¬ 
ence  of  the  Laymen’s  Missionary  Movement  held  at  Lake  Geneva 
the  past  five  summers.  It  has  advertised  with  letters  and 
literature,  and  has  sent  its  secretaries  to  participate.  The 
past  summer  it  sent  its  Convention  Secretary  to  help  work  up 
the  registration. 

MISSIONARY  EDUCATIONAL  CONFERENCE 

Some  conferences  of  the  Missionary  Education  Movement 
have  been  attended  as  well.  At  Lake  George  last  summer  the 
General  Secretary  conducted  a  class  on  Church  Efficiency  regis¬ 
tering  sixty-nine  members  of  several  denominations. 

NARRAGANSETT  ASSEMBLY 

Mr.  Fisher  assisted  with  the  work  of  the  Narragansett  As¬ 
sembly  in  the  summer  of  1914,  and  in  personal  consultation 
helped  several  promising  young  people  to  decide  for  the  Christian 
life  and  a  Christian  life-work. 

NEWTON  HAMILTON  INSTITUTE 

The  Acting  Secretary  made  three  addresses  at  a  camp¬ 
meeting  at  Newton  Hamilton,  Pennsylvania,  last  summer,  and 
as  a  result  has  set  up  an  interdenominational  church  work¬ 
ers’  institute  which  will  replace  the  campmeeting  hereafter. 


25 


NATIONAL  MISSIONARY  CAMPAIGN 


The  main  drive  of  the  past  year  (1915-16)  was  the  National 
Campaign.  The  Protestant  churches  were  in  team  harness  as 
never  before,  working  under  the  direction  of  the  Laymen’s  Mis¬ 
sionary  Movement  (interdenominational).  Sixty-nine  conven¬ 
tions  have  been  held,  with  101,927  men  registered,  which  is 
one-third  larger  than  the  number  in  the  campaign  of  1909-10. 
This  is  the  more  significant  because  in  the  former  campaign  many 
men  were  attracted  by  a  banquet  who  did  not  attend  the  meet¬ 
ings.  At  that  time  the  churches  encouraged  the  Movement  in  its 
undertaking;  but  in  this  series  the  churches  invested  both  men 
and  money  and  are  receiving  proportionate  returns.  Systematic 
preparation  made  the  conventions  a  huge  success;  and  efficient 
conservation  work  has  launched  a  program  of  advance  in  most 
convention  areas.  The  local  church  and  the  spiritual  condition 
of  the  individual  are  the  starting  point  in  this  campaign.  It  is 
realized  that  any  world-program  succeeds  or  fails  as  we  succeed 
or  fail  in  developing  individual  Christians  and  local  churches. 
Then  to  the  individual  and  the  local  church  the  whole  program 
of  Christ  is  offered  as  a  challenge. 

Personal  evangelism,  community  service,  city  missions,  home 
missions,  foreign  missions — all  are  ably  presented  as  parts  of  an 
organic  whole — a  salvation  unto  the  uttermost. 

Chambers  of  Commerce,  business  men’s  associations,  colleges, 
newspapers,  and  church  federations  have  all  recognized  the  value 
of  these  conventions  and  have  co-operated  heartily  in  their  pro¬ 
motion.  Many  favorable  editorials  and  cartoons  have  appeared 
in  the  papers.  Two  results  have  universally  followed : 

(1)  Deepened  religious  interest  and  increased  religious  ac¬ 
tivity  among  men. 

(2)  More  vital  co-operation  among  the  communions. 

The  Methodists  had  two  out  of  nine  men  in  the  conventions 
preceding  the  holidays  (outside  the  Southern  States),  and  one  out 
of  three  in  the  Pacific  Coast  conventions.  The  denominational 
meetings  were  practical  training  groups,  to  enable  the  delegates 
to  return  and  make  their  local  churches  efficient.  The  denom¬ 
inational  program  was  generally  based  on  “The  Way  to  Win.” 


26 


V.  GOOD  RETURNS  ON  THE  INVESTMENT 


Without  claiming  that  the  Laymen’s  Missionary  Movement 
alone  is  responsible  for  the  increase,  it  is  a  most  significant  fact 
that  during  the  nine  years  of  the  Movement’s  history,  contribu¬ 
tions  by  all  communions  to  foreign  missions  have  increased  from 
$8,980,448  in  1906  to  $18,793,990  in  1915;  or  in  other  words, 
there  has  been  a  greater  increase  in  the  annual  contributions  dur¬ 
ing  the  last  nine  years  of  the  Movement’s  history  than  during 
the  ninety  years  preceding. 

While  accurate  statistics  with  reference  to  home  missionary 
contributions  are  difficult  to  secure,  statistics  recently  compiled, 
representing  more  than  100,000  churches,  show  that  these  100,000 
Congregations,  while  increasing  gifts  to  foreign  missions  $6,000,- 
000,  have  by  the  same  financial  methods  increased  their  home 
contributions  $11,000,000  and  their  local  congregational  current 
expenses  by  a  total  of  more  than  $19,000,000. 

During  the  nine  years  of  the  Laymen’s  Missionary  Movement 
the  total  contributions  to  foreign  missions  has  amounted  to  $124,- 
359,745.  Making  allowance  for  the  normal  increase  that  would 
in  any  event  have  been  registered  as  a  result  of  increased  popula¬ 
tion  and  wealth,  there  is  still  a  net  increase  for  the  nine  years  of 
$30,000,000  over  and  above  what  would  normally  have  been  ex¬ 
pected  had  the  prevalent  rate  of  increase  from  1897  to  1906 
continued  through  1907  to  1915. 


27 


INCOME  OF  BOARD  OF  FOREIGN  MISSIONS 


In  spite  of  war  conditions,  receipts  are  recovering  well  from 
the  drop  due  to  the  financial  depression  of  1913.  This  is  a  fine 
instance  of  efficiency : 


Year  Total  Receipts  Per  Capita 

1913  .  $1,482,528.18  $  .39 

1914  .  1,588,755.29  .40 

1915  .  1,700,573.80  .42 


INCOME  OF  BOARD  OF  HOME  MISSIONS 

In  this  quadrennium  of  depression  and  war,  the  total  amount 
received  is  more  than  a  million  per  annum,  exceeding  the  previ¬ 
ous  prosperous  quadrennium  by  $285,828.49.  The  Loan  Fund 
increased  its  capital  more  by  $16,879.72  than  in  the  best  previous 
quadrennium;  and  the  Board  was  able  to  more  than  double  the 
loans  of  any  past  quadrennium. 

The  secretaries  gratefully  acknowledge  that  these  returns 
are  due  largely  to  modern  methods  of  church  work. 

COMPARISON  OF  AREAS 

Area  A.  This  Area  has  made  no  special  effort  as  an  area 
to  introduce  the  Plan.  Two  conferences  have  done  some¬ 
thing,  but  even  in  these  two  the  work  has  been  far  from  unani¬ 
mous  by  districts  or  by  individual  churches. 

1915  Gain  to  the  Seven  Apportioned  Benevolences . $1287 

Area  B.  This  area  was  regularly  campaigned  in  every  dis¬ 
trict  for  the  introduction  of  the  new  plan.  At  least  two-thirds 
of  the  churches  worked  the  Plan  in  1914-1915. 

1915  Gain  to  the  Seven  Apportioned  Benevolences  . . .  .$20,007 


28 


COMPARISON  OF  CONFERENCES  IN  SAME  AREA 


Con’f.  Attitude  to  the  Plan.  Gain.  Loss. 

A  No  forceful  attempt  to  introduce  it .  3181 

B  Every  district  campaigned .  2350 

C  Indifference  in  many  places .  78 

D  General  introduction .  4738 

E  General  indifference .  2244 

F  Introduced  in  most  places .  2310 


ADVANCE  ON  GOSHEN,  INDIANA,  DISTRICT 


1909  1916  Increase 

Membership  .  9400  13058  39% 

Church  property  (excluding  debts)  $427,661  $741,781  73% 

Pastors’  Cash  Salaries  .  31,068  47,480  53% 

Episcopal  Fund  .  411  820  Doubled 

Conference  Claimants  .  1,508  5,151  More  than  trebled 

Disciplinary  Benevolences  .  9,769  23,399  More  than  doubled 

All  Benevolences  .  13,607  36,378  Almost  trebled 


Dr.  Hollingshead  points  us  back,  for  the  explanation  of  this,  to  the 
Goshen  Convention  held  by  the  Laymen’s  Movement  in  1909.  He  writes 
(April  8,  1916),  “No  district  has  co-operated  more  harmoniously  with 
our  work  than  this  one.” 


MISHAWAKA,  INDIANA,  WORKS  THE  PLANS  THE  MOVEMENT 

ADVOCATES 


1912 

1913 

1914 

1915 

1916 

Gain 

Membership  . 

703 

857 

1,100 

1,179 

1,300 

85% 

Salary  . 

1,800 

2,000 

2,500 

2,700 

2,800 

55% 

Current  Expenses  . 

3,300 

4,000 

5,200 

6,500 

6,600 

100% 

Missions  . 

1,028 

1,640 

2,084 

2,962 

3,059 

198% 

Apportioned  Benevolences 

1,454 

2,318 

2,958 

4,020 

4,335 

198% 

Disciplinary  Benevolences 

1,113 

1,856 

2,480 

3,381 

3,679 

231% 

Total  Benevolences  .... 

5,186 

7,229 

10,092 

13,551 

9,861 

90% 

29 


SAMPLES  OF  FREQUENT  TESTIMONIES 


“Following  the  campaign  week,  the  prayer  meetings  in¬ 
creased  in  attendance,  and  the  reception  of  new  members  was 
an  almost  continuous  stream.” 

“The  results  were  good  in  securing  information,  rousing 
some  who  had  been  indifferent,  and  deepening  the  fellowship. 
The  reaction  upon  the  visitors  was  excellent.” 

“Important  as  the  results  of  the  envelope  system  have  been 
in  increasing  the  offerings  of  the  people,  they  have  been  still 
more  important  spiritually  in  deepening  the  sense  of  personal  in¬ 
terest  and  individual  responsibility.” 

“Missionary  offerings  increased  30% ;  offerings  for  local 
support  74%.  The  effect  of  the  canvass  upon  the  congregation 
from  a  social  point  of  view  was  beneficial.  The  work  proved  an 
education  to  the  members  of  the  committee  making  the  canvass, 
and  a  number  of  the  men  suggested  that  it  be  repeated  every 
year  for  the  sake  of  the  social  benefit  to  be  derived  from  it.” 

“The  period  of  experiment  has  passed.  What  the  church 
now  needs  is  that  the  Plan  be  universally  adopted  and  persistently 
followed.” 

“The  New  Financial  Plan  solves  absolutely  the  financial 
problem  both  for  the  local  and  general  Church.  It  gives  birth 
to  a  revival  spirit  and  deepens  the  religious  life  of  the  people  in 
that  it  leads  them  to  ‘pay  their  vows  unto  the  Lord.’  It  distri¬ 
butes  responsibility  and  develops  lay  leadership  of  necessity.  I 
speak  from  actual  observation.” 

“It  is  like  sun  to  the  sap.  Men  who  get  every  member  to  pay 
get  the  feeling  also  that  they  can  get  men  converted.” 


30 


VI.  LITERATURE 


Militant  Methodism — the  report  of  the  National  Convention  of 
Methodist  Men,  with  addresses  in  full. 

New  England  Methodism — the  report  of  the  New  England  Con¬ 
vention  of  Methodist  Men,  containing  extracts  of  the  ad¬ 
dresses  and  the  survey.  Edited  by  E.  C.  E.  Dorion. 

The  Challenge  of  To-day — the  report  of  the  Ohio  Convention  of 
Methodist  men.  Contains  the  addresses  and  the  survey. 
Edited  by  Bishop  Anderson.  The  Northwestern  comments: 
“No  Methodist  preacher  in  the  middle  west  should  keep 
house  without  it.” 

A  Man  and  His  Money — written  by  the  Stewardship  Secretary 
while  the  Commission  on  Finance  and  the  Movement  were 
on  a  joint  budget.  The  standard  statement  of  the  ages  on 
the  subject  of  Christian  stewardship. 

The  Way  to  Win — a  pocket  size  book  of  successful  methods  for 
the  local  church.  Edited  by  Fred  B.  Fisher.  Its  popularity 
among  other  denominations  has  necessitated  an  interdenom¬ 
inational  edition.  Some  official  boards  have  become  study 
classes,  discussing  one  chapter  of  this  book  a  week. 

The  New  Financial  Plan — leaflet  literature  issued  jointly  with 
the  Commission  on  Finance.  Mentioned  on  page  24. 


31 


VII.  PERSONNEL 


The  General  Secretary,  Fred  B.  Fisher,  has  been  the  efficient 
leader  in  the  work  of  the  Movement.  His  ability  as  a  promoter 
and  an  executive  have  kept  the  Methodist  Church  in  its  proper 
place  among  the  communions  as  a  leader  in  efficient  methods. 
The  name  Methodist  still  has  significance.  Mr.  Fisher  has  been 
called  into  a  field  of  larger  usefulness,  where  his  talents  may  be 
exercised  for  all  denominations.  He  is  now  Associate  General 
Secretary  of  the  interdenominational  Movement. 

Mr.  R.  C.  Keagy  was  for  some  time  employed  by  the  Move¬ 
ment,  in  charge  of  the  Rural  Church  Institutes.  He  is  now  pastor 
at  Lyons  Church,  Clinton,  Iowa. 

Mr.  H.  B.  Dickson  has  done  excellent  work  as  Convention 
Secretary.  He  is  now  in  the  interdenominational  work. 

Mr.  C.  V.  Vickrey  has  given  the  Methodist  Movement  half 
time  during  the  National  Missionary  Campaign.  To  him  must 
be  attributed  much  of  the  success  of  the  Pacific  Coast  conven¬ 
tions. 

Mr.  Clyde  F.  Armitage  has  been  associated  with  Mr.  Fisher 
since  April  1st,  1914,  and  is  now  Acting  Secretary. 

The  officers  of  the  Movement  have  remained  unchanged 
since  its  organization. 

Changes  will  be  noted  in  the  National  Committee. 


32 


FRED.  B.  FISHER 
General  Secretary  until  Dec.  31,  1913. 

man  of  unfailing  enthusiasm,  energy  and 
resoursefulness. 


Five  Winners 


Los  Angeles  Convention,  largest  in  the  National  Missionary  Campaign.  5983  delegates,  of  whom  2185  were  Methodists 


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